Cowl pin and attaching means



Nov. 2 1933b 1.. H. E. FOX

COWL PIN AND ATTACHING MEANS Filed April 18, 1931 Patented Nov. 7, 1933 I UNiTED STATES PATENT GFFICE f 1,933,724 CGWL PIN AND ATTACHING MEANS Lawrence Henry Ellis Fox, Miami, Fla. I Application April 18,1931. Serial No. 531,065 3 Claims. (01'. 24-224) This inv ntion relates to ccwling securing de- Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevavices, and more particularly its object is to provide tion illustrating the arrangement of the Cowling improved cowl pin and attaching clip for perand the means of attaching the Cowling to the mitting thecowling and other removable closures frame or body of an aeroplane and embodying the to be ree quickly attached to or removed features of. this invention.

from the of an aeroplane, whenever it is Figure 3 is a vertical sectionalview taken subdesirable to have access to the interior thereof. stantially on the line III-III of Figure 2.

There is at all times considerable vibration Figure 4 is an enlargedperspective view ofth present in the structure of aeroplane when attaching clip of this invention.

19 in iiight. This is due to not only the operating An aeroplane 10 of the conventional type is pro- 'of the engine, but to the varying wind stresses, vided with a standard Cowling, 11 covering the caused by the air conditions and the movement of front portion of the plane adjacent the engine the aeroplane through the air. thereof. 7 i Y heretofore, cewl pins have usually been drilled The cowl 11 comprises a plurality of supporting 15 and a *ire or pin inserted through the drilled or frame plates 12, one of which is illustrated in openingafter the cowling has been placed in Figure 3. Each of the plateslzis providedwith position on the pins, but these pins being harder a series of spaced apertures for receiving (the inby necessity than the cowling usually made of termediate portions of a plurality of cowl pins 13, aluminum alloy, the cowling becomes worn back each of which cowl pins is secured to the plate 540 cf the and the pin also becomes weakened by 12 by means of a nut 14. The cowl pin 13 is pro- 7 the vibratory action of the aeroplane. Should vided with an integral larger portion 15, which the engagement of one of these pins with the extends beyond one side of the plate 12 and termicowling for any cause fail the air stresses may nates in a conical end portion 16. The cowl pin strip the cowling from the cowl frame of the 13 is also provided with an annular groove 17' aeroplane, cause serious accidents. adjacent the base of the conical portion thereof It is an object of my invention to provide means (Figure 3) for holding the cowling firmly inwardly into bear- The cowling 18 as normally provided has the ing on the frame, to prevent so far as possible marginal edges thereof bent back upon itself to any play or lost motion of the cowling between form a thicker edge portion 19 for strengthening 00 the frame and the attaching means, and thereby the cowling and is provided with a series of aper- 5 overcome to a considerable degree the vibratory tures, spaced apart so as to be in alignment with action of the cowling while the aeroplane is in the cowl pins 13 projecting from the frame plate. flight. The engine vibration being at times ap- 12. The cowling 18 is supported by the cowl pins parently in synchronism with a natural vibratory 13, as best illustrated in Figure 3 with the bent period of the cowling, the wearing action of the over edge portion thereof abutting one side of the .0

retaining pins on the cowling is considerable. It frame plate 12. A cowling 20, similar in construcis an object of this invention to provide tion to the cowling 18, is slipped overthe conical retaining means affording a broad bearing surend portions of cowl pins 13 so that the thicker face on the outer face of the cowling, and having edge portions 21 thereof will be in overlapping resilient means associated therewith for engagabutting relation with the cowling 18 (Figure 3). 5

ing over the cowl pins, acting to positively hold A Substantially U-shaped resilient clip 22 havthe attaching means on the pins and bearing firming relatively broad faced opposed leg portions ly against the cowling thereby obviating the wear 23 and 24 respectively, provided with a U-shaped on the cowling heretofore mentioned. slotted portion 25 in the leg 23 thereof, and an Other further important objects of this annular apertu d portion 6 in th p s d l e invention will be apparent from the disclosure in 24 of the clip, engage the respective cowl pins the drawing and the specificaton. 13 with the leg portion 23 abuttingthe' cowling The invention, in a preferred embodiment 18 for maintaining the cowlings 18 and 20 firmly thereof. is illustrated in the accompanying drawin position a t t COWl frame 12. I

ing and hereinafter more fully described. It is to be IlOted t at the nd of the leg 24 of W (in the drawing: the clip 22 is flared as at 27 (Figure 3) for facili- Figure l is a fragmentary side elevation of an tating the moving of the p (W61p t c c aeroplane illustrating the arrangement of the end 16 of the cowl pin. cowling and the attaching means embodying one The clips 22 are readily and quickly slipped form of the features of this invention. into engagement with the respective cowl pins 13 by simply moving the clips so that the slotted portion 25 in the leg 23 of each of the clips engage the respective groove 1'7 of each of the cowl pins 13 with the broad face portion of the leg 23 abutting the cowling 20. At the same time the flared end portion 2'7 in the opposed leg 24 of the clip slips over the end of the pin 13, with the conical end portion of the pin frictionally engaging the aperture 26 in the'leg 24 of the clip, thereby firmly and safely securing the cowlings 18 and 20 against the cowl frame.

It is to be observed that the cowl pin. 13 is provided with a conical end portion 16, which not only facilitates the attaching and removing of the cowlings 18 and 20 to and from the cowl frame 12, but also associates with the flared end portion 27 of the resilient clip for facilitating the insertion of the clip in engagement therewith,

for maintaining the cowlings firmly in position.

From the foregoing, it is evident that I have provided a novel means of firmly securing the cowling of an aeroplane in position, and which means permit the ready and quick removal of the cowling, whenever'it is desirable to gain ac:- cess to the interior of the cowl compartment.

It is also apparent that I have provided a cowling securing device which is of simple and inexpensive construction, and which device is efficient in its operation, thereby eliminating objectionable features of the present cowling securing device.

Of course, it is to be understood that, although the invention is illustrated and described in detail in a single embodiment thereof, the invention is not to be thus limited, but only insofar as defined by the scope and spirit of the appended claims.

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A fastening device comprising a pin having an annular recess adjacent one end, means at the other end of the pin, whereby the pin may be secured to a supporting member in such a position as to enable its insertion through an aperture in a member to be secured on the pin, and a U-shaped clip of resilient material, one leg of the clip being slotted to enable its insertion into straddling position in the recess, the other leg having an aperture to receive the end of the pin, said recess and end of the pin cooperating to spread the legs of the clip apart so that the end of the pin enters the aperture with a snap action.

2. A fastening device comprising a pin adapted at its inner end to be secured to a supporting member, said pin having its outer end rounded and provided with a peripheral groove inwardly disposed from the outer end, and a U-shaped resilient clip, one leg of said clip being slotted to enable its insertion into straddling position in the groove, the other leg having an aperture to receive the end of the pin, whereby the clip is held in cooperativeassociation with the pin.

- 3. A fastening device comprising a pin adapted to be inserted through an aperture in a memher to be secured thereon, said pin having a recess adjacent an end thereof, and a cooperating b'eshaped resilient clip, one leg of the clip being slotted to enable its insertion into the recess in a straddling position with the other leg bearing against said end of the pin, said other leg having an aperture to receive the end of the pin.

LAWRENCE H. E. FOX. 

